In Your Arms
by ThatGirlJean
Summary: When Bella moves from Washington to Texas to escape her abusive boyfriend and be with her family, what will happen when she finds happiness in the arms of someone else?
1. The Great Escape

**Authors Note:**

 **Hello lovely readers! This is my first story and I couldn't be more excited to share with you! Be sure to leave reviews so I know what to fix for next time!**

 **Disclaimer: I wish I owned Twilight but I do not. Instead, I bring myself immense joy by changing the story and writing my own!**

 ** _BPOV_**

 _Tick, tick, tick_. I could hear the clock ticking away above the hustle and bustle of the city of Dallas just beyond the walls of the airport. We started following the signs to retrieve Paul's bags and the little bit of luggage I had managed to pack before leaving Sam and the rest of his family in Washington. Just as I found my small, lavender suitcase, I heard my name being called.

"Bella! Over here!". I turned around to see my dad, ever so cheerful, standing about 100 feet away with a bright smile on his face. I hadn't felt that much joy in a long time.

As I approached him, he held his arms wide open and I stepped into his embrace for the first time in three years. Paul walked up behind me just as I was releasing my dad from our hug. He reached around me and shook dad's hand while they shared their pleasantries.

"It's so good to see you again, Paul!" Dad said.

"I'm so glad you've both decided to finally move out of Washington and come to Texas. You can finally see what you've been missing out on." He finished. Dad took a look at my suitcase before taking it out of my hand and carrying it.

"Is this all you brought, Bells?" I nodded. He shared a look with Paul but didn't say anything.

My dad knew what happened over the last two years between Sam and I but he never brought it up and neither did I. I'm so grateful that he moved to Texas three years ago or I probably wouldn't have been lucky enough to get away from Sam when I did. Of course, when Paul took my side on the situation, his parents immediately kicked him out but Sam refused to allow me to leave. His parents took his side and nearly held me hostage.

I found my chance to escape just three days after Paul was kicked out. Sam and his parents were leaving for the evening to go to the Reservation's high school graduation. Of course, I didn't have anything nice enough to wear so they declined the invitation on my behalf. So, as soon as they were gone, I packed a bag and met up with Paul to catch a flight out of Seattle which brings us to where we are now. It's crazy to believe that just yesterday, I was flinching away from Sam and now I never have to deal with him again.


	2. Home Sweet Home

**Disclaimer: I wish I owned Twilight but I do not. Instead, I bring myself immense joy by changing the story and writing my own!**

 **BPOV**

As Paul and I gazed out the window of dad's truck during the drive that seemed to last forever, we finally passed a sign that read: "Noonday, Texas. Population: 614." Dad's lips turned up in a smile as we entered a quaint town and I could help but smile at the thought of finally escaping Sam's grasp.

I was disturbed by my thoughts when we turned off of the main road and down a long driveway to where I could only assume is our house. As the trees because few, a large plantation house came into view. Although dad had told me time and time again how big the main house was, nothing prepared me for the gorgeous structure before my eyes.

There was a slender woman pulling weeds out of the ground beside the steps of the house and an older man who I assumed to be her husband coming out the front door and waving at us as we drove by. We took a slight turn away from the house and continued past a large barn. This brought me out of my reverie and I couldn't help but wonder where my favorite boys were.

"Dad, where's Emmett and Jacob?" I asked dad. "Your brothers wanted to be here but they had to bring the horses in before the big storm with Maria's boys." Dad explained. We once again drove down a wooded driveway before passing a house in the process of being built and finally coming upon a house that looked like home. Dad stopped in front of the three car garage and the three of us hopped out of the truck.

"Well, this is home. I'll show you two to your rooms but then I have a surprise for the both of you." Dad motioned for us to follow him up the steps and into the house. When we walked through the front door, I couldn't help but notice all of the pictures hanging on the walls of my brothers and I as we grew up. Dad led us around the main floor showing us the living room, kitchen, and bathroom before leading us to the stairs and going upstairs. We passed a closed door on the left that dad pointed out as Jacob's room and then an open door on the right to what I assumed was Emmett's. We came to a stop at the next door on the right.

"Well Paul, I know it's not much but I figured you'd be fine with a bed, dresser, and closet." Dad said. Paul's eyes lit up. "Thank you so much Charlie! I can't thank you enough for letting me live here." They shared a manly hug before dad and I left Paul to unpack his stuff. We continued down the hallway before reaching the end and I turned the doorknob and walked into my new bedroom, one that I didn't have to share with a man who laid his hands on me. I looked around at the pale gray walls and fell in love immediately. My bed was a full-size, white princess-style bed. My bedding was bright and lit up the room and I couldn't help but notice the large bay window that looked over a beautiful lake behind the house. There was a small desk in one corner and I had a large comfy looking chair nestled in another with a bookshelf already stocked with some of my favorite books as well as some new ones.

"Well, do you like it?" I turned around to see Charlie nervously rubbing the back of his neck and flung myself at him. "I love it daddy!" I said. I removed myself from his embrace when I noticed another door against the same wall as my bedroom door. Turning the doorknob, I slowly opened the door and came face-to-face with a gorgeous, pristine white bathroom.

"I figured you'd like your privacy from all of the boys so I took that into consideration when picking your room. The boys all share their own bathroom." I nodded graciously at his thoughtfulness. "It's perfect." I replied. "Well, I'll give you a few minutes to unpack but then I need you and Seth to meet me by the garage." With that, dad walked out the door. I unpacked my measly lavender suitcase and stood in front of the bay window gazing across the lake. I couldn't fathom how great it felt to finally be home.

Deciding not to keep my dad waiting any longer, I peaked my head in Paul's room and motioned for him to come with me. We walked down the stairs and outside to find my dad standing by the garage with two sets of keys in his hand. "This key," he motioned to the silver one on each set, "is for the house. You officially live here so it only makes sense that you have a key. This one," he motioned to a bronze key, "is the master key to the big barn we passed on the way back here. Lastly, these keys," he held up two separate keys, "are to your trucks." He finished and tossed us each a set of keys. Paul and I took off into the garage and found our trucks, climbing inside with pure joy etched across our faces. "Thank you!" We rejoiced together.


	3. Meet the Whitlocks

**Disclaimer: I wish I owned Twilight but I do not. Instead, I bring myself immense joy by changing the story and writing my own!**

 **BPOV**

After coming down from our excitement, dad informed us that we needed to head to the main house for dinner so we climbed into dads truck and made the drive back to the beautiful house just as the storm clouds were rolling in. We found the wind as we walked up the steps on the back porch to the double doors that were wide open. I followed dad and Paul inside where we were met with the smiling faces of the man and woman outside when we first arrived.

"You must be Miss Bella and Paul!" The slender woman pulled me into a tight hug as Paul shook the man's hand. "I'm Maria and this is Jay. Welcome home! Your dad's been excited to finally get you down here to good 'ole Texas. Go ahead and make yourself at home in the living room while I finish preparing the meal." The woman, Maria, said. "Do you need a hand?" I offered politely. "Nonsense! You've just arrived. Go take a seat and I'll be in there in a few guys and gals should be arriving soon." She said with a wink.

I followed my dad, Paul, and Jay into the living room and was astounded by the pure beauty. The windows were large and the dark, hardwood floors went perfectly with the sectional, love seat, and recliners sitting in nearly a circle in front of the fireplace. The mudroom off from the front door was full of jackets, cowboy boots, hats, and muck boots but I didn't fail to notice two empty cubbies in between a good number of them.

My eyes shifted towards the open doors when two women and two men walked through them and into the living room I was currently sitting in. The two girls hadn't even noticed me yet but that was ok because I was too busy ogling the man standing before me with a smile on his face while talking to Maria in the doorway. He had brown hair, piercing green eyes, and a body that was just begging me to touch it. His arms were strong and you could tell he had been working on the farm for his entire life. When j looked at him, our eyes locked and I immediately knew how much trouble I was going to be in.

Before I had a chance to introduce myself, I heard movement behind me and was promptly lifted into the air by two strong arms. "Baby Bells!" I heard Emmett bellow into my ear. I was too giddy to respond so I squirmed until he put me down and then turned around and flung myself at him. I could feel the tears treating down my face but I didn't care. It's been three years since I've seen this big baboon and I've missed him so much. "Oh Emmy Bear! I'm so sorry!" I cried. "It's okay. Please don't cry, I've waited too long to see that smile and here you are crying." He whispered back in my ear before setting me back on solid ground and wiping the tears from beneath my eyes.

Once reality clicked back in, I knew that once he stepped out of the way, my other big baboon would be right behind him. Peering around, I could see Jacob's smiling face and lunged for him. Of course, he caught me easily around my waist and spun me around in circles. "It's about time you came home, Bell!" He laughed. I stopped laughing long enough to give both of my brothers kisses on their cheeks before I was placed back on my feet.

Caught up in all of the excitement of being reunited with my brothers, I forgot about the others in the room whom I had yet to meet. "Hello, I'm..." The first woman snatched me into a hug. "Bella, it's so good to finally meet you! Your dad and brothers have been talking nonstop all week about your arrival. I'm Charlotte. It's nice to meet you as well, Paul." Charlotte held her hand out for Paul to shake. I smiled and moved on to the next girl. "Hello Bella, I'm Rosalie." She held her hand out to Paul and I. I've heard that name before... "Oh! You're Emmett's girlfriend, right?" I questioned. She smiled and nodded, seemingly pleased that I already knew about their relationship.

One of the men stepped forward and offered his hand for me to shake. "It's nice to finally meet the infamous Bella. I'm Peter, Maria and Jay's oldest son. Charlotte over there," he nodded his head to Charlotte sitting on the couch, "is my woman." He smiled and moved past me to introduce himself to Paul. The attractive man stepped forward and offered his hand for me to shake but when I took it, he pulled me in for a hug. He smelled like wood and spices. It wasn't until he released me that he spoke. "It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Darlin'. I'm Jasper, Maria and Jay's youngest." He smiled at me before moving on to Paul.

I was in a daze as I moved into the dining room after hearing Maria inform us that the meal was on the table and ready for us. I ate quietly, answering questions here and there and listening to the stories everyone told. Once we had all finished eating, Maria showed Paul and I their house and then pointed out the two cubbies in the mudroom with our names on them. With the night winding to a close, my brothers, dad, Paul, and I loaded up and headed to our house for bed. We were so grateful to have been welcomed easily into the lives of those most important to my family but I didn't know the good luck wouldn't last long.


	4. Wet Clothes and Mall Talk

**Disclaimer: I wish I owned Twilight but I do not. Instead, I bring myself immense joy by changing the story and writing my own!**

 **BPOV**

I woke up earlier than I normally would to ensure I wouldn't cause any setbacks for the normal Saturday schedule. I took a shower and got ready for the day before heading downstairs to see if anyone else was awake yet. As I passed all of the boys' rooms, their doors were open and their beds were empty. I made my way down the stairs into the living room and found my dad sitting in a recliner reading the newspaper.

"Good morning. Are you ready for the day?" Dad asked me. "Yeah but I'm not sure what shoes I should wear given the storm. All I brought were my Keds." I told him in a hushed tone. "Don't worry about that, Bella. I already picked you up a few pairs of shoes. There's a pair of muck boots, cowboy boots, and even a pair of nicer shoes. The nicer shoes are in your bathroom closet but the boots are in the mudroom up front so just wear your Keds for now. We've got to head to Maria's for breakfast soon so gather what you'd need for a day of relaxing and meet me on the porch." Dad finished. I'm so glad he thought about the shoes I would wear. I'm glad we could relax today too after a long day yesterday.

After throwing on my Keds, I made my way back to the living room to leave when my purse caught my attention. I reached inside and pulled out my phone before heading out the front door and meeting dad on the porch. The rain was coming down in sheets and by the time I made it to the truck, I was soaked and my shoes were sloshing around on my feet. "Dad, are you sure I can go inside when I'm this wet?" I mumbled nervously as we started down the driveway towards the main house. "Don't worry about that Bella. I'm sure one of the girls has something you can borrow until we go shopping to stock your cubby." He smiled slightly.

As we passed the barn, I could see men inside that I didn't recognize. "Who are those people?" I asked dad. "Those are the weekend hands. Maria and Jay believe in relaxing on the weekends so they pay people to come in and feed the horses and stuff." He replied. As we pulled up by the front porch, you could see the warm light shining through the window from the living room. On the count of three, dad and I jumped out of the truck and dashed toward the front porch. I stumbled twice along the way because of the wet ground but I made it inside unscathed.

Upon entering the house, dad and I removed our shoes and dad removed his rain jacket. He was pretty much dry. Looking into the living room, I found my brothers, Jay, Charlotte, Peter, Jasper, Paul, Charlotte, and Rosalie all watching TV. Dad cleared his throat and nine sets of eyes turned and looked at him. "Girls, do either of you have a change of clothes that Bella could borrow? We haven't had the chance to go shopping yet to stock her cubby." Dad politely asked Charlotte and Rosalie. "Absolutely!" They both grabbed a few items from their cubbies and pulled me to the guest bedroom upstairs.

"Here, put these on." Rosalie motioned to a pair of comfy looking sweatpants and a hoodie. "We're pretty lazy on the weekends so there's not really a need to wear jeans unless you're more comfortable in them." Charlotte told me with a smile. "Thank you both so much. Like my dad said, we haven't been shopping yet and I didn't bring much with me." I explained. Their eyes lit up at the mention of needing to go shopping. "That's great! We can all go to Broadway Square in Tyler and then Valley View Center in Dallas tomorrow! I'm always up for a shopping trip. How does that sound, Bella?" Rosalie asked. "I'll check with my dad but I think that would be ok." I smiled at them. "Great! It's settled then."

As we went back downstairs to the living room, Maria was calling us all in for breakfast. We all gathered around the table and blessed the meal before digging in. "So, Bella, do you have any experience with horses?" Jay asked me. I smiled and nodded. I told them all about the farm I worked on in Washington before I started dating Sam. When I trailed off right before the part where I quit because I was forced to, Rosalie jumped into the conversation. "Boys and girls, what do you say we go to the mall in Tyler tomorrow and then travel to Dallas for the day? I'm sure we all need to do some shopping and I think it'd be a fun way to get to know Bella and Paul." She looked around expectantly.

Around noon, two girls came through the back door carrying trays of brownies and cookies. "Aunt Maria! We brought some snacks over!" They called as they entered the house. When their eyes landed on me, they shuffled into the living room with smiles on both of their faces. Setting the trays down, they both held out their hands and introduced themselves. "Hi Bella! I'm Lyla!" The shorter one said. "And I'm Grace!" The taller one informed me. "We're Maria's nieces. She took us in after our parents were killed in a car crash a few years back. If there's anything you need, just let us know. Please, help yourself!" The taller one, Grace, said before they hurried off in search of Maria.

The rest of the day passed uneventfully and I found myself excited for tomorrow's shopping trip. As I was getting in bed, I couldn't help but feel a little sad that I didn't see Jasper after breakfast. I remember Jay and Maria mentioning something about needing two new saddles but I didn't think he'd be out all day. I closed my eyes and before I knew it, I was sound asleep.


	5. To the Mall and Back

**Authors Note: I'm so glad y'all are enjoying my story thus far! Jasper and Sam will both have their shares of POV at some point in the near future. Sam's POV will be less often though because I simply don't like him. The malls I use in this chapter are both real however the one in Dallas is more of an art gallery than anything so I added in some of my favorite stores. I hope you enjoy this long chapter and please remember to review! :)**

 **Disclaimer: I wish I owned Twilight but I do not. Instead, I bring myself immense joy by changing the story and writing my own!**

 **BPOV**

I woke up with a pounding heart and looked around. My nightmare was so vivid I forgot I was now in Texas and far away from Sam. I got out of bed and grabbed a pair of skinny jeans and a t-shirt to wear to the malls today before getting in the shower. I glanced at the cell phone that I had left alone on my nightstand as I walking into my bathroom, shutting the door behind me.

As I emerged from the shower, the moisture on the mirror blurred my image and I could hear music through the wall coming from Jacob's room. I glanced at my cell phone just as Jacob's music cut off and I started getting dressed. Just before walking out the door, I grabbed the cell phone off of my night stand and put it in my cross-body purse.

As I ascended the stairs to the living room, I found Paul and my brothers already waiting for me. "Come on Bella! Let's go! Let's go!" Emmett ushered me towards the door. The four of us piled into Emmett's truck as dad got into his and headed up to the main house. Thankfully, it wasn't a long drive because as much as I love my brother, I'd much rather sit next to Jacob than on top of him.

When we walked through the front door, I couldn't help but notice the coolers and large bags by the mudroom cubbies. "Come grab a granola bar!" Charlotte told us. Everyone was sitting in the living room on the sectional waiting for us. "So we've invited Lyla and Grace to come with us. Now, we need to decide car arrangements." Charlotte concluded. "Dibs on Rosie!" Emmett declared, poking Rosalie in her side. "Okay, let's do Rosalie, Emmett, Jacob, Paul, and Grace in one car and then Jasper, Charlotte, Bella, Lyla, and myself in the other." Peter decided. "DRIVING!" Lyla shouted. "SHOTGUN!" Charlotte followed.

As we finished our granola bars, dad pulled me to the side. "Now, don't try and fight me on this Bella. I missed out on way too much and I want to see you happy. Buy everything you need and anything you want. You need a minimum of seven pairs of jeans to wear when you work and about ten shirts too. Plus, you need to get some nicer clothes for other occasions. Another pair of boots wouldn't hurt and some other shoes too. The boys know what you need to get so don't argue. Go ahead and grab a swim suit or two since it's getting hotter outside. Don't worry about how much you're spending because there's more than enough money in my account. Just have fun today, ok?" I nodded as he handed me his credit card and hugged him graciously. "Oh and one more thing; I want you to go to Verizon and pick out a new cell phone. Since you'll be paying with my card, there shouldn't be any issues adding you to my account. Grab a couple of sturdy cases too. You'll need them around here!" He laughed before sending me back with the others. I couldn't believe how much money he was telling me to spend.

As we loaded the SUVs, the boys loaded a cooler in each one in the center and it wasn't until then I noticed that one of the single seats in the middle had been removed to allow for easy entering and exiting and to allow space for the cooler and what I assumed to be the snack bag. Since Lyla was driving and Charlotte called shotgun, Peter sat in the middle seat to be closer to Charlotte leaving Jasper and I in the backseat.

The ride to Tyler was relatively short and sweet. We didn't really talk much; we just stared out the windows. Once we arrived, we went to Vanity so I could pick out some jeans. I couldn't help but notice as I looked through the racks that all of the jeans I liked were dark washed even though they made me look much paler than I already was. After buying seven similar yet different pairs, we moved on to Bath and Body Works. I was giddy at the idea of purchasing a few items that I was deprived of during the last few years of my life. I was never allowed to just buy something because I wanted it. Heaven forbid it be something with a scent that Sam didn't like.

I picked out a few lotions and body sprays and before coming to a stop beside my favorite line they had out. The eucalyptus mint stress relief lotion was calling my name and I couldn't resist the need to throw two bottles of it into my bag. After checking out, the girls and I decided to meet up with the boys and see if there were any other stores we wanted to visit here before moving on to Dallas. I was surprised when Lyla informed us we had only been walking around for about an hour and a half.

Just as we could see the boys, Grace all but squealed and pulled me into Charlotte Russe. "Bella! You have to try on the romper in the window!" She basically shrieked in my ear. The girls were laughing as they followed us into the store. I didn't see the romper in the window so I honestly had no clue what she was talking about but once we were in the store, I looked around anyway.

When looking through a rack of cute shirts, I looked up and locked eyes with Jasper as he stood around outside talking to the rest of the guys. I was lost in his green eyes for what seemed like minutes even though it was mere seconds before a black romper was placed in my line of vision, successfully breaking our eye contact. "Please?" Lyla and Grace begged. I looked it over for a moment. The only thing that really made me question the romper were the thin spaghetti straps holding the rest of the outfit up. It had a beautiful lace overlay and I couldn't resist the small smile that appeared on my face. I agreed to try it on and when I came out of the dressing room wearing it, the girls' eyes lit up. "Honey that looks great on you!" Charlotte commented. "Damn girl! You look hot!" Rosalie smiled. "I knew it!" Lyla exclaimed. I laughed and returned the the dressing room.

There was a knock on the dressing room door and as I was opening it, quite a few shirts and dresses were passed through the small opening. I laughed and hung them up on the hook. Trying them on and modeling them one at a time, I found myself amused by the girls' reactions. When I got to a specific dress in the stack of clothes and walked out, you could hear a pin drop.

I looked around nervously, waiting for one of them to say something. The dress was a light blue, tank top dress that came to about mid-thigh. The straps were made of a sheer material and my chest was covered with a mesh material. The neckline was embellished with pearls. When I began retreating back into the dressing room, Grace stopped me. "Bella, you have to buy that. I don't know what you'll wear it for but you have to." I was speechless but continued into the dressing room, removing the dress and adding it to the "BUY" pile. Before leaving the store, I bought the dress, the romper, four shirts, a cardigan, and three camisoles.

Once we met up with the boys, Peter grabbed my bags from my hands and we returned to the cars. Grabbing a bottle of water from the cooler, I settled into the back seat with my back to the window and my feet in the seat between Jasper and I. We made small talk for the first half of the drive to Dallas. I found out he loves to read and wants to take over the farm sometime in the distant future.

When we settled into a comfortable silence, I pulled my phone out of my cross-body purse and turned it on. Almost immediately, I regretted powering it up. I had 23 voicemails, nearly 50 missed phone calls and almost 80 text messages. I couldn't help the small yelp that escaped my lips at the sight of my notifications. I decided to read the text messages first. Most of them were just threatening me to come home, some were simple "Where are you?", and others were just pure harassment. Once reading through all of them, I listened to the voicemails. They were fairly short and I think I only whimpered once when he said he was going to find me and make me wish I were dead.

When I finally looked up from my phone, we were entering Dallas and I could see Jasper glancing in my direction every now and then. I couldn't tell them about my past yet or it would scare them away and they'd probably kick me off of the farm. I knew I was probably putting them in danger but I didn't want them to force me to leave. I was finally with my family.

As we neared a small park, both vehicles turned in and parked. The boys grabbed the coolers and we all sat down under a shelter to eat lunch. I made a turkey and Colby cheese sandwich with just a little bit of mayonnaise and lettuce and moaned as soon as I took the first bite. It had been so long since I was allowed to eat cheese and I had nearly forgotten how good it was. Sam refused to allow me to eat anything even remotely unhealthy for fear that I would gain weight.

After playing around for a little while, we decided to head over to the mall. First, we went to Verizon and I picked out an iPhone and some sturdy cases to keep it protected. Each of the girls took a turn entering their phone numbers into it before passing it off to the guys who followed suit. When nobody was looking, I decided to send Sam a text telling him to leave me alone and that I was never coming back.

The girls and I went to Journeys next so I could get another pair of Keds. I picked a pair that were navy with white polka dots that caught my attention but then got another pair of solid black. When we left Journeys, we walked to Maurices where I found more shirts and grabbed a few baby doll tops. I noticed some jeggings and grabbed two pairs of them in navy and in mint green.

When I migrated into the dress section, I couldn't help but add a few dresses to my pile. "Oh good! I was supposed to remind you to grab some dresses for church. Most Sunday's, we go into town for church." Rosalie smiled at me and picked out a few dresses for herself. By the time I checked out, I had nine shirts, five dresses, two more cardigans, three pairs of sandals to wear with the dresses, two pairs of jeggings, and a cute headband.

As we were leaving Maurices, Jacob and Emmett were walking out of a little boutique across from us. As we met in the middle, they both held their bags out to me. "These are for you. Please accept them. We picked them out just for you because we figured you didn't have a strand already." Jacob explained, pulling out a beautiful pearl necklace. "The bracelet is kind of self explanatory." He reached into the bag and held it up for me to see. It was a simple Pandora bracelet with a dangling football, a dangling gym shoe, a fish, and a heart. "The football is for me, the gym shoe is for Jacob, the fish is for dad, and the heart is for you because you have our hearts." Emmett told me. I couldn't contain myself as I threw myself at them and gave them a hug before we all went our separate directions again.

After everyone met back up, we loaded our bags into the cars and decided to catch a movie before heading back. The movie theater was cool because they had a dining area where you could eat dinner and still watch the movie at the same time so we opted to do that.

By the time the movie ended, we were all exhausted. We loaded the cars and began the drive back to Noonday. Before we even reached the interstate, I was struggling to stay awake. I unbuckled my seatbelt and tried to get comfortable before eventually giving up. I looked over and saw Jasper chuckling before grabbing my wrist and pulling me in his direction. I laid down in the seat and put my head in his lap. The last thing I remember was the lights shinning through the car windows as we passed them on the interstate.

 **Please don't forget to review! I love your feedback!**


	6. Author's Note

**Hey y'all!**

 **I'm so sorry for taking so long to update. I promise I'll have an update for you before Sunday. I had attempted to write in Jasper's POV for chapter 6 but it gave me massive writer's block so I'm going back to Bella for the time being.**

 **Your reviews encourage me to keep writing so please keep them coming!**

 **All my love,**

 **Jean**


	7. Sunday Storms

**Authors note:** **Sorry for the long awaited update! The next chapter is already saved on my account so give me some reviews and I'll have it up soon! All my love!**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight or the characters, only the plot!**

When I woke up the next morning, the sun was peaking over the horizon and I could faintly remember being carried to my room by Jasper. I felt refreshed and absolutely famished.

After showering, I went downstairs and found my brothers and Paul relaxing on the couch and my dad coming up the stairs with his badge pinned onto his shirt.

My dad is a Texas Ranger and it was one of the reasons he left Washington. He was offered a position through a family friend who knew someone on the force.

"Well, Bella, now that you're acquainted with the farm and everyone, I'm going back to the force today." Dad informed me. I felt my lips turn down into a frown before replacing it with a smile. I love my dad but I hate how dangerous his work is.

"Come on, Bells! We've been waiting for you to get up so we can go eat!" Emmett practically pulled me outside and shoved me in his truck between him and the other two boys and I ended up having to sit on Jacob's lap so we could all fit. It's hard sometimes having basically three brothers who are the sizes of bears but I wouldn't trade them for the world.

I checked the clock on the dash and it read 9 AM. "You honestly woke up just in time for breakfast. We have church at 11 but Maria cooks a decent-sized, delicious breakfast on Sunday mornings and then we have church and when we get home, we eat a lot of food." Jacob explained.

"Maria cooks that much food?" I asked. "Oh no! She normally just cooks a side dish or two and provides drinks. Every family is supposed to bring a big side dish or two smaller ones to share with everyone. It depends on what Jay grills or fries. If he makes hamburgers and hotdogs, we normally have coleslaw, potato salad, macaroni salad, potato chips, baked beans, and desserts. It's pretty great!" Emmett chimed in.

I laughed at how ravenous my brothers were acting before wringing my hands nervously. "Why didn't you guys tell me sooner? I didn't prepare anything." I mumbled. Jacob poked me in the sides and made me laugh again. "Oh little bell, we always provide deserts. We'd rather not burn dad's house down by attempting to cook so we just buy cookies and brownies and stuff." He reassured me.

As we pulled up to the large plantation home, I smiled at the sounds coming through the screens on the sliding doors. "Jasper! Company is here!" I heard Maria yell in some unknown direction inside the house. As we reached the doors, Jasper's smiling face moved into view.

"Welcome to Casa De Whitlock! For breakfast, mom made a Mexican potato dish that has been in her family for generations as well as scrambled eggs, a variety of cooked bell peppers, and bacon. Grab a spot at the table." He greeted us laughing.

"Hey Bella? Did you bring your phone?" He questioned. I nodded and pulled it out. He reached and took it from my hand before allowing me to unlock it and he entered a phone number and called it. Seconds later, the phone in his pocket started ringing. He hung up the phone and entered his information for his contact before taking a picture of himself and saving it.

"All done! Now go sit at the table and get ready for breakfast." He shuffled me towards the table. I sat quietly as everyone filed in and Jay blessed the food. As we ate, we shared mindless chatter before we were interrupted by Charlotte getting my attention.

"Bella! You should wear the mint dress you got yesterday and maybe the sandals. I can do your hair if you'd like, too!" She chirped from her seat at the other end of the table. I smiled and nodded, agreeing with her.

After eating my blueberry pancakes and bacon, I excused myself and opened the sliding back door and walked outside to make the long walk to the house. When I was about 300 feet from the house, i could hear the door open and close and then I heard his voice.

"Hey Bella! Wait up! I'll give you a ride." Jasper smiled in my direction. As I stopped walking, he drove up beside me on a John Deere Gator and patted the passenger seat.

"So, how do you like Noonday?" He asked nonchalantly, interested in my opinion. I couldn't help but smile as I thought about the quiet, quaint town I now call home.

"I like it here. It's so peaceful and I can actually see the stars! I wasn't able to see them very often in Washington because of the cloud coverage." I frowned, thinking about my time in Washington and how I was only allowed out of the house when Sam thought was necessary.

"Well Darlin', I'm glad you like it here. It's my favorite place on earth. I want to spend the rest of my life here on this farm so I decided that I might as well like the town." He joked. I noticed the dimples in his cheeks and the way his eyes lit up while he talked about the plan he has for his future.

As we pulled up to my house, we made our way up the porch and he held the door as we entered the house. I made my way upstairs to my bedroom and quickly gathered my things I would need for church before returning to the living room.

We made small talk on the way back up to his house and once we arrived, we parted ways and I was quickly whisked away upstairs to get dressed and ready for church.

When we arrived outside Noonday Baptist Church, we were ushered out of the cars and into the building. Jasper was behind me and I was behind Emmett. As I followed Emmett, Jasper came up beside me and placed his hand on the small of my back, guiding me towards the pews where our families sat.

As the service began, we gave offering and prayed and listened to the sermon. As it ended, we stood up to sing a hymn and I couldn't believe the sound that came out of the southern man standing beside me.

Jasper had the voice of an angel and I was surprised to find I enjoyed listening to him sing. He seemed so at peace when singing and it was like the world was at ease.

After we returned back to the ranch, we headed our separate ways to get ready for lunch. Once I was dressed, I turned my old phone on and had more missed calls and text messages from Sam. Most of them were just empty threats that I decided to ignore. I continued getting ready before returning to the main house.

As Emmett, Jake, Paul and I were pulling back up to the house, I could see dark clouds peaking over the trees in the distance. As I was exiting the car, a short, black haired woman approached me and helped me carry the pans of homemade brownies I baked the night before over to the dessert table.

"I'm Alice and I guess it's safe to assume you're Bella! It's so nice to finally put a face to a name. Charlie and the guys have ranted and raved about you!" She introduced herself. I noticed the tables overflowing with food and felt my mouth start watering.

Alice seemed nice. She walked me around and introduced me to her parents and to other people I didn't know. Andrew and Rosemary greeted me with open arms and I could easily see their resemblance in Alice's face.

Next, she introduced me to Her older brother Carlisle. He's four years older than she is and he's clearly enamored with his little sister. He greeted her with a kiss to her temple and a side hug before greeting me with a gentle handshake.

"It's nice to meet you, Miss Bella. It'll be great to have someone new around!" He smiled. He seemed genuine with his greeting. After some small talk about their past, Alice then introduced me to Carlisle's fiancé Esme.

I quickly found out Charlotte was Esme's little sister and they shared many of the same hobbies and their parents passed away a few years prior and Esme became Charlotte's caregiver for all intents and purposes.

Alice then brought me to a man and woman by the names of Colleen and Bryce Masen. Colleen was tall and very polite and Bryce was even taller. They greeted her warmly as the woman hugged her.

"Welcome to the family, Bella! Ali here has been so excited to meet you. We hope you fall in love with our little town as much as we have." They politely excused themselves to the lunch table.

"I have one more person for you to meet." Alice told me. She was scanning the crowd of people for someone specific and when her eyes found him, they lit up like the Fourth of July. She pulled my arm and led me to a tall, blonde haired man and wrapped her arms around his waist.

"This is my boyfriend. Edward, this is the famous Bella we've heard all about!" She smiled up at him, her love for him shining in her eyes. He glanced down at her before extending his hand for me to shake.

"Alice, you're going to scare the poor girl with all of us!" He laughed and squeezed her to his side. "It's nice to meet you though, Bella. I think you're going to fit in nicely!" He smiled.

We migrated to the table and I was placed between Alice and Paul and across from Jasper. He glanced up at me and gave me a wink and a smile. After Jay blessed the food, we all dug in.

By the time we finished, I was sure I was going into a food coma and I almost couldn't stop myself from ogling Jasper sitting across the table from me. He had his arm on the back of the chair next to him and he was animatedly talking to Edward and Lyla.

Suddenly, Jay's phone started ringing and he pulled it from the clip on his belt and held it up to his ear. He shared a look with some of the occupants of the table before ending the call and returning it to his holster.

"Well folks, there's a bad storm rolling in so let's get the leftovers down to the weekend help and get inside. Everyone got up and started moving.


	8. Rolling Thunder

**Authors note: Here is the next chapter** **! Chapter 8 should be up soon enough, probably by Sunday night. I hope you enjoy this chapter and make sure to leave me some reviews! All my love!**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight or the characters, only the plot!**

Jasper was ushering everyone toward the house while loading the leftovers into the back of the John Deere Gator. I started loading bowls of food and desserts with him and he just smiled at me and continued moving until everything was loaded. As we were dropping the food off, it started pouring rain and we decided it was a good time to head back to the main house.

We hopped on the gator and sped back. Jasper pulled it into their detached garage and we sprinted up the steps. As I reached the top step of the deck, my foot slipped and I felt myself falling toward the ground.

Jasper's arms shot out and caught me before I could actually hit the ground and his hand found mine as we continued our sprint into the house. We started laughing as soon as we were in the dry house.

"Y'all are soaked!" Maria exclaimed. "Jasper, go on up and get changed out of those wet clothes. Grace, take Bella up and get her changed into something dry." She ordered. I followed Grace up the stairs and into her bedroom. She pulled a pair of black leggings, a sports bra, underwear, and a sweatshirt out of her drawers.

"Here, these should fit you. If they don't, you're more than welcome to find something else that does!" She smiled before exiting the room so I could get dressed.

When I returned downstairs, I noticed everyone had blankets and pillows and were standing around by the door to the basement. Jasper smiled and waved me over, holding out a fluffy Sherpa blanket and tucking a second pillow under his arm.

"We normally play cornhole and swim after Sunday lunch but on the rainy days, we like coming inside and watching movies and playing board and card games. So, we're going to the movie and game room in the basement." He explained and grabbed my hand, pulling me toward the stairs.

When we reached the bottom, I looked around at just how serious they were about the movie room. There was a gorgeous fireplace in the center of the wall to my left and on each side of the fireplace were curtains that were pulled back to allow for people to enter the movie room. To the right, there was a bar area and small kitchen and plenty of space to play games.

"This place is huge!" I exclaimed with a laugh. Jasper laughed along with me before talking. "So, what do you wanna do? Watch a movie or play games?" He asked. "I guess I want to relax so I'm going to vote movie." I told him. We entered the small theater and he pulled me toward a double chaise lounge.

"Do you mind if I sit by you?" He asked quietly. "Not at all." I responded. We both sat down and got comfortable. He threw his arm behind my shoulders and we fell into a comfortable silence as Flicka started on the large screen.

About half an hour into the movie, the exhaustion from the week began creeping in and I felt my eyes droop closed as my head landed on Jasper's shoulder. I let my head rest on his shoulder as he sound of his breathing lulled me to sleep.

I jerked awake to the sound of Jay's phone going off with the same ringtone as it did earlier. I sat up and looked around half asleep and apparently Jasper had fallen asleep too because I noticed him doing the same. Jay hung up his phone and looked around.

"The National Weather Service issued a severe thunderstorm warning and tornado warning for our area. Jasper, take the Escalade to the barn and pick up the help. I'm going to call them and have them stall the horses." Jay ordered and everyone sprung into action.

Maria and Jay were quick up the stairs and Jasper followed after them. I walked up the steps, catching a glimpse of Lyla and Grace gathering towels and sweatshirts out of what I assumed was a linen closet.

"Jasper, wait, I'll go with you." I told him. "No Bella, stay here. It's safer in the basement." He replied. "I don't want to sit on my hands until the storm passes, I'm coming with you." I retorted.

He nodded and threw a rain jacket towards me while putting one on himself. I grabbed my rain boots from the mudroom and slid them on my feet and followed Jasper out the back door to the Escalade in the garage. Once we were both inside, he took off.

"Okay Bella, you gather everyone and make sure they all make it to the Escalade. I'm going to double check all of the horses are stalled." He told me as we pulled up and through the open barn door.

We got out and I started ordering everyone into the Escalade. "Come on, we don't have much time!" I yelled over the howling wind outside. Everyone put their items away in a rush and piled into the vehicle while I took off in search of Jasper.

I found him trying to shut a barn door and rushed over to help him. We shut and secured it and ran over to shut the next one but the wind was too strong and pushed me backward.

Jasper's arms darted around me and he pulled me to him and kept moving ahead. When we got the other door shut, we headed back to the Escalade. He backed out of the barn and jumped out to shut the front barn door and we were speeding down the driveway and back at the house in no time at all.

"Everyone down in the basement. We'll wait out the storm there." Jasper told them. We all piled back down the stairs and Lyla had a change of clothes for Jasper and I. Grace was handing out sweatshirts and towels to the farm hands. Once we were changed, Maria handed us each a mug of hot chocolate and marshmallows and we all sat in the movie room with a movie playing in the background as we talked.

"Tomorrow is going to be a busy day, Darlin. You sure you're up for the hard work?" Jasper smiled down at me. "Oh please! A little hard work won't kill me." I grinned. "We'll see about that." He responded.

After the storms ended a few hours later, we all returned upstairs and the farmhands went to check on the horses and we cleaned up the house. "Well, I guess it's time we all head on to bed." Jay told us. "Goodnight folks!" Maria smiled and sent us on our way.

When the boys and I arrived home, we had a message from dad on the answering machine checking in with the bad weather happening and telling us he would return home before Thursday. It was a relief to know he was doing alright and would be home soon.

After showering and putting on my pajamas, I had just snuggled under my blankets when my phone went off.

 _Goodnight Darlin. I hope you had fun today, despite the weather. I'll see you bright and early for breakfast! Sleep tight. -Jasper_

 _I did have fun! I'll see you in the morning. Sweet dreams! -Bella_

I fell asleep moments later with a smile on my face.


	9. Time in History

**Author's Note: Let's be honest. I suck. I haven't updated in almost a year and I haven't given you any notion I planned on finishing this story. Well, I do. I went through a difficult junior year of college but came out alive and forced myself to write this chapter so I can start cranking out more. I hope you're still with me. Leave lots of reviews because they encourage me to keep writing! Lots of love!**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight or the characters, only the plot!**

BPOV

I woke up Monday morning ready to work. I wasn't sure what the day would hold but I knew I needed to be prepared for anything they could throw at me. When I rolled over and checked my phone, I had two text messages from Jasper.

 _Good morning Darlin'! I hope you slept well. Make sure you wear a comfortable shirt and jeans and boots today. -Jasper_

 _Also, make sure you don't miss breakfast! I have something for you afterwards! -J_

I sent him back a quick smiley face and decided it was time to get out of bed and shower and dress before heading up to the main house for Maria's famous breakfast.

When I stepped out of the shower, I could hear the boys arguing downstairs and decided I better hurry up and get down there. I threw on a pair of dark jeans and a t-shirt before slipping my boots onto my feet.

By the time I made it downstairs, the boys had become quiet and they were patiently waiting for me. As I walked to the door, Emmett handed me a pink bandana and told me I would need it.

"It's hot out today, Bells. You're going to want to keep the sweat out of your eyes so we thought you could use one. It's teal so we don't get it mixed up with ours." Jacob said. I smiled up at my older brother in response.

We piled into one of our cars and took off towards the house. As we approached, I could see Jasper waiting for us like a kid waiting to enter the candy store and I couldn't help but laugh.

We gathered around the table and took our seats as Jay blessed our breakfast. Once we were all settled at the table and eating, Jay explained how the day was going to go for me.

"First, we have to release the horses. It's safer and easier to clean their stalls without them in it. After they've been cleaned, we need to put fresh shavings down for them and fill their water buckets. Then, we have to bring them back in and feed. Once they've been fed, you and Jasper can go for a ride around the property so you can familiarize yourself with our land. It's also important so if we ever have a breach or an emergency, you'll know exactly where you need to go." He smiled in finality.

At the end of breakfast, Jasper pulled me aside with a basket of goodies in his arms. I gave him a look of gratitude as I began opening the basket.

Inside the cellophane wrapped basket, there was a pair of sturdy, female leather gloves, a box of baked goods, two thick pairs of cooling socks, another bandana, a large water bottle with my monogram on it, a couple of 5 hour energy shots, a pocket knife, a baseball cap with the farm's logo on it, and a cream colored cowboy hat. I looked up at Jasper and gave him a hug in thanks. He laughed and mumbled about how it was nothing.

"Thank you so much, Jasper!" I exclaimed. "It was my pleasure Darlin'. However, I can't take credit for the baked goods. Those are from my mama." I laughed and promised to thank Maria for them.

Once we made it to the barn, Jasper showed me where to release the horses at after leading them out of the stalls. He also told me their quick method for knowing which animal goes down which branch of the barn. "The barn is shaped like a "T", if you look at the halter on the horse, there are lines stitched on them. If it has one line, it goes does the left wing. If it has two lines, it goes down the middle wing, and if it has three lines then it goes down the right wing. From there, just check the nameplate on the stall and match it with the one on the halter. Sound easy enough?" I nodded.

After turning out all the horses and cleaning their stalls, Jasper showed me where the ladder was to the hayloft and showed me how to safely throw bales of hay down to put in the stalls for the horses. We got down enough bales and distributed them among the horses. He took me to the feed room and helped me gather buckets of feed and put them in a wagon for easier transport around the barn.

Once the stalls had fresh water, hay, and feed in them, it was noon and we brought all of the horses back in and stalled them. "Let's let them eat for now. While they eat, let's grab ourselves something and we can take it out with us." Jasper said. I agreed and we rode the gator to the house.

The air conditioning felt great on my skin as did the water trickling down my throat from the bottle Jasper handed me when we entered the kitchen. He pulled a cooler bag out from one of the cabinets and grabbed a few containers from the refrigerator and a bag of potato chips out of the pantry and placed them in the bag. "Do you want a Sprite?" I nodded. He placed our drinks in the bag too and slung it over his shoulder.

"Let's grab some horses and roll!" He smiled at me. We rode the gator back to the barn and he parked it inside. "Take your pick and bring her out Bella." He walked off in search of his own horse while I walked down the long row of stalls. I admired each one as I passed by but came to a halt outside the stall of a beautiful gray quarter horse. The nameplate on the stall door told me her name was Opal and I grabbed the lead rope and hooked her halter.

I returned to the tacking ropes and found a western saddle, bridle, and saddle pads already waiting for me. I brushed out Opal's coat and cleaned her hooves and then saddled her up. Once her saddle was in place and tightened, I put her bridle on. I pulled the reigns down and walked to the front barn door and found Jasper already waiting with a black quarter horse and our bag of lunch.

He smiled when he noticed my horse. "Opal is a sweetheart Bella. You picked a great horse!" I smiled. "This is Cash. I've had him for 6 years." He returned my smile and tied Cash to a post next to the barn door. "Let me give you a hand up." I laughed as he offered his hands as a step for me to get on Opal but gratefully stepped up. Once we were both on our horses, he led the way to a gate down the fence line. He hopped off and opened the gate before walking Cash through and allowing me to ride into the field. After the gate was shut, we rode through the field at a steady walk.

"So what brought you here Bella?" Well he really cuts to the chase doesn't he? "I missed my dad and my brothers." He shook his head. "No, you know what I mean. Why would you leave your life in Washington to come to a small town in Texas? Your dad told us you had a boyfriend up there. He also told us Paul was his brother." We came to a stop at a clearing in the field. I looked down at my feet and then out over the clearing before beginning.

"Sam thought he was God's gift to people. He didn't understand personal space and he never let me speak for myself. We started dating my senior year of high school. He was sweet and gentle and I could see myself being with him for the rest of my life. He was two years older than me and it never posed an issue in our relationship until the beginning of last school year. I came home on cloud nine after being elected President of our Yearbook committee and he accused me of being interested in someone else. When I told him to calm down and back off, he squeezed my arms a little too tight and left bruises on them." I looked over to Jasper before continuing.

"I thought things were fine until I had to stay late the next week with our advisor to design the cover of the new yearbook and when I went to leave the school, Sam was waiting for me outside. He pushed me against his truck and yelled at me for screwing around with someone else. When I tried to tell him why I was still at school, he hit me across my face and pushed me towards my own car before telling me he'd see me at home and then left. He didn't come home until after midnight that night and had hickeys all over his neck and chest. The next morning, he acted like nothing had happened. When I asked him about the hickeys, he apologized and said it would never happen again." I could feel my eyes start to tear up and looked out over the horizon.

"After that, it was just some snide remarks here and there and a few pushes if I was in his way. Paul noticed and would try to keep Sam away from me when he could. Sam started limiting how much food I was able to eat and commented on my weight every now and then. About a week before I moved here, I was getting ready for bed when Sam came in and started yelling at me for not having a dress to wear to the high school graduation we were invited to. He hit me and shoved me onto the bed..." I couldn't hold back the tears any longer. "He held me down and forced me to..." I sobbed. "...while I screamed. His parents were at a bonfire for the elders and Paul was at his friend's house so nobody was there to help me. Paul came home sometime later and found me in the living room crying. When I told him what happened, he woke Sam up and started punching him.." I could feel Jasper's burning gaze to my right but I just kept going.

"Sam told Paul he didn't know anything and to stay out of his relationship. Their parents kicked Paul out for punching Sam and wouldn't let me leave to go with him. Paul came back the next day after everyone was gone for the day and gave me a suitcase to pack what I could. He said he had already purchased the plane tickets and called Charlie to ask if we could come to Texas. Now here we are." I finished. I finally looked at Jasper and he reached out and grabbed my hand, lacing our fingers together. He dropped my hand and I followed him towards a post under a large tree.

"You don't have to worry about him anymore darlin'. We won't let anything happen to you out here. Has he tried contacting you since?" He asked. I nodded, "He's tried texting me since I've been gone and he's called too." Jasper frowned. He got down off his horse and pulled the cooler bag with him. He walked around and helped me down off of Opal. He tied up the horses and turned to me. "Bella why didn't you tell us?" I teared up again. "I just got back to my family. I don't want to be sent away." He chuckled and pulled me in for a hug. "You silly girl, we would never send you away! You're practically already family." I sniffles and returned his hug.

When we pulled away, he laid a large blanket down and pulled out a container of chicken salad, crackers, a container of fruit, a container of carrots and celery, chips, and our drinks. We began eating and made small talk until it was time to head back towards the barn.


End file.
